Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women have been admitted to psychiatric hospitals and units for (a) alcoholic psychosis, (b) alcoholic dependence syndrome and (c) non-dependent abuse of alcohol in the last year.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Information on the number of women admitted to psychiatric hospitals and units for alcoholic psychosis, alcoholic dependence syndrome and non-dependent abuse of alcohol in the last year is given below.

  Women Admitted to Mental Illness Hospitals and Psychiatric Units with Alcohol-Related Problems During 2000-01 by Diagnosis.

  


Diagnosis 
  

Number 
  



Main Diagnosis 
  



Alcohol dependence 
  

705 
  



Alcohol non-dependence 
  

213 
  



Alcoholic psychosis 
  

117 
  



Secondary Diagnosis 
  



Alcohol dependence 
  

104 
  



Alcohol non-dependence 
  

128 
  



Alcoholic psychosis 
  

16 
  



  Source: Scottish Morbidity Record, SMR04Text of answer.

  Note:

  Alcohol-related conditions are defined using the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD10).

Alcohol Misuse

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many alcohol-related deaths there have been in each of the last three years, broken down by gender.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: There is no universally accepted definition of an alcohol-related death. The information given in the following table relates to deaths certified as due to alcoholic liver disease, alcoholic cardiomyopathy and mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol.

  Deaths due to Alcoholic Liver Disease, Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy and Mental and Behavioural Disorders due to Alcohol in 1999-2001 by Gender.

  

 

Males 
  

Females 
  

Total 
  



1999 
  

711 
  

302 
  

1,013 
  



2000 
  

791 
  

338 
  

1,129 
  



2001 
  

862 
  

358 
  

1,220 
  



  Source: General Register Office for Scotland.

  Notes:

  Alcohol-related conditions are defined using the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases 9th and 10th Revisions (ICD9 and ICD10).

  Figures for 2001 are provisional.

Alcohol Misuse

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in the development of alcohol services in rural and semi-rural areas.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Executive's Plan for Action on alcohol problems , which was published on 18 January, acknowledges that there are gaps in current alcohol support and treatment services across Scotland. It requires Alcohol Action Teams to assess local needs and develop local strategies by April 2003, ensuring that account is taken of the particular difficulties in providing confidential and accessible services in rural areas. The Executive is developing a framework for alcohol problems services which will assist local areas to assess needs, identify gaps and develop strategies for services accordingly.Text of answer

Alcohol Misuse

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to voluntary groups who provide support and treatment to people with alcohol problems.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Executive provides core funding of £175,000 for Alcohol Focus Scotland, Scotland's national voluntary organisation on alcohol. Funding for local groups who provide support and treatment services for people with alcohol problems is provided by local authorities and NHS boards. Text of answer

Alcohol Misuse

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in developing gender-sensitive approaches to the needs of women with alcohol problems.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Executive's Plan for Action on alcohol problems which was published on 18 January 2002, sets out that alcohol problems services should be sensitive to the needs of particular groups, including women. The Executive has recently consulted on a framework for alcohol problems support and treatment services and has consulted with groups who have a specific interest in women with alcohol problems.

  The Health Education Board for Scotland, Alcohol Focus Scotland and the National Association of Alcohol Action Teams held a seminar on women and alcohol in April at which I spoke. One outcome from the seminar was a commitment to establishing a women and alcohol network. The network will provide a vehicle for the development and dissemination of good practice in working with women, including the development of gender-sensitive approaches.

Alcohol Misuse

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to provide training for health care staff working in the health service to enable them to identify alcohol-related problems in women.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Text of answerI refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22209 on 6 February 2002.

Arts

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24558 by Mike Watson on 23 April 2002, whether persons bequesting works of art in lieu of inheritance tax may make any recommendation in respect of where the work will be allocated.

Mike Watson: Yes, an offerer has three choices when bequesting works of art in lieu of inheritance tax.

  Firstly, they may make allocation to a specific institution a condition of the offer. This would be binding on the minister at the time of acceptance of the offer.

  Secondly, the offer can be made with a wish that an item go to a specific institution. While indicating where the offerer would like to see the object go this is not binding on the minister and alternative premises may be chosen if a strong case is made.

  Thirdly, an offer may be made without wish or condition. In such a case the minister is free to choose the most suitable location for the object, based on the expert advice of the Acceptance in Lieu of Tax Panel.

Arts

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24558 by Mike Watson on 23 April 2002, whether it will list the members of the panel of expert advisers; how these members were appointed, and whether the composition of the panel is intended to be geographically representative of Scotland.

Mike Watson: The members of the Acceptance in Lieu of Tax Panel are appointed on UK-wide basis by Resource, the Government’s advisors on museums and galleries. Every effort is made to ensure the panel represents all regions of the UK and currently there is one Scottish representative on the panel, Andrew McIntosh Patrick. The panel is composed as follows:

  Jonathan Scott (Chairman)

  David Barrie

  Mark Fisher MP

  Alistair Lang

  Dr Lindsay Stainton

  Hon. Georgina Stonor

  Andrew McIntosh Patrick

  The Countess of Verulam

  Mrs Angela Weight

  Ms Lucy Wood.

Arts

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24558 by Mike Watson on 23 April 2002, what steps are being taken to ensure that the various national art collections are truly national and accessible to the public.

Mike Watson: The National Galleries of Scotland has a statutory duty to care for, preserve and add to the objects in their collections and to secure that the objects are exhibited to the public.

  Free entry to the National Galleries ensures that the national collection is accessible to all.

  In addition to the main galleries in Edinburgh, the National Galleries also have out-stations around Scotland – Duff House in Banff and Paxton House in the Borders – both of which hold significant works from the national collection.

  Responding to the need to make the national collections more widely accessible and visible to the public, the National Galleries of Scotland are participating in the development of a scheme to increase lending to smaller museums and galleries around Scotland.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to undertake or commission research into establishing minimum standards for the education of children with autistic spectrum disorders.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to commission research on minimum standards for education of children with autistic spectrum disorders.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what systems are currently in place to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of a school’s work with pupils on the autistic spectrum and whether it will place a copy of any monitoring and evaluation information in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Cathy Jamieson: Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of a school’s work with children with special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, as part of the cycle of school inspections.

  Inspection reports are published and copies are held in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will implement a national training strategy for teachers, classroom assistants and specialist professionals in the awareness and understanding of autism.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has commissioned a Review of Initial Teacher Education and this will report later in the year. The review includes consideration of training matters relating to special educational needs, incorporating autistic spectrum disorder.

  In addition, the Executive is developing a new framework for teachers' Continuous Professional Development which will include specific reference to special educational needs and will reflect the presumption of mainstreaming.

  There is already a wide range of training available specifically on autistic spectrum disorder for all staff and the Executive’s Innovation Grants Programme also supports initiatives on raising awareness of the disorder.

Birds

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of the theft of osprey eggs in Perthshire, when it will introduce legislation to strengthen the laws on wildlife crime.

Allan Wilson: As the First Minister announced this morning, we will bring forward a draft Nature Conservation Bill by March 2003. That draft bill – including important measures dealing with wildlife crime - will then be available to be taken forward and introduced by the incoming administration, following next year’s elections.

  I was appalled by the recent thefts, and by other recent incidents including the apparent poisoning of a sea eagle. Such acts are utterly unacceptable. That is why I am delighted that the Deputy First Minister was also able to announce this morning that we will accelerate our proposals on custodial sentences and a new power of arrest ahead of the main bill.

  These important initiatives, which will significantly strengthen the hand of the police and the courts in dealing with wildlife crime, will be introduced in the form of amendments to the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill.

Cancer

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking and what funding is provided for raising the awareness of breast cancer and education regarding it in order to promote its early detection among (a) men and (b) women.

Malcolm Chisholm: Health promotion is the responsibility of NHS boards who would be happy to provide information about local activities and campaigns targeted at breast cancer awareness. Contact information for NHS Board Chief Executives is available from Scottish Health on the Web:

  www.show.scot.nhs.uk.

  Similarly, the Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS) is responsible for matters relating to health education. Contact details for the Chief Executive and wider information on the board’s activities is available from the HEBS website:

  www.show.scot.nhs.uk/hebs.

Cancer

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to reduce the stigma attached to male breast cancer and what counselling services are provided to male sufferers of the disease in the NHS for this purpose.

Malcolm Chisholm: Breast cancer in men is relatively rare, occurring most often in individuals with a family history of female breast cancer. Genetic counselling and advice is available through cancer genetics services provided through Regional Genetics Centres. Referral is normally arranged either through an individual’s general practitioner or specialist consultant responsible for treatment and care following diagnosis.

  Similarly to women with breast or other types of cancer, the support of the multi-disciplinary team involved in their treatment and care is available to men with breast cancer. Counselling services for people with cancer offer advice and support individualised to meet the particular needs of the patients referred to them.

Cancer

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations provide cancer screening services and how many provide such services to (a) women and (b) men.

Malcolm Chisholm: Text of answerNHSScotland provides National Screening Programmes for Breast and Cervical Cancer. The Breast Screening Programme invites women aged 50 to 64 for breast screening every three years. Women over 64 can self-refer. The Cervical Screening Programme invites women aged between 20 and 60 for a cervical smear at least once every five years. Details of other organisations which provide cancer screening services are not held centrally.

Cancer

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) incidence and (b) mortality rate was for male breast cancer both (i) nationally and (ii) in each NHS trust in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The undernoted table sets out (a) the incidence of male breast cancer for the years 1994-98, which is the most recent year for which completed cancer registry data are available, and (b) deaths from male breast cancer in the years 1994-2000, the most recent year for which completed mortality data are available.

  Incidence of and Mortality from Breast Cancer in Scotland in Males, 1994-2000

  

 

1994 
  

1995 
  

1996 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  



Cases 
  

15 
  

18 
  

8 
  

17 
  

15 
  

n/a 
  

n/a 
  



Deaths 
  

3 
  

5 
  

10 
  

7 
  

5 
  

7 
  

6 
  



  Sources: incidence data provided by ISD Scotland; mortality data provided by General Register Office Scotland (GROS).

  Notes:

  1. Breast cancer in males is rare in Scotland with an average of around 15 cases diagnosed per year. Incidence has remained fairly constant over the last 20 years.

  2. The estimates are not broken down to NHS health board level because of the very small numbers. To minimise the risk of any inadvertent breach of confidentiality, it is the policy of ISD to avoid publishing tables with small numbers of cases in any cell which might conceivably be used, along with other information, to identify an individual.

  3. Rates are not presented, again because small numbers of cases are subject to random fluctuation from year to year giving rise to very unstable estimates of risk.

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24821 by Colin Boyd QC on 3 May 2002, when the evaluation of the operation of the pilot victim liaison offices in Aberdeen and Hamilton will be completed and when the implementation of the management review of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service will be concluded.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: The evaluation of the operation of the pilot projects of the Victim Liaison Offices in Aberdeen and Hamilton is planned to proceed in the period from June to December 2002. An interim report is expected in September 2002.

  The management review of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service was completed in February 2002. Implementation of the recommendations of the review is now in progress.

Epilepsy

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue any guidelines to ensure that all epilepsy-related deaths are investigated and recorded in line with best practice.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (CSBS) is developing clinical standards for post-mortem and organ retention. These standards cover the whole hospital post-mortem process and will therefore apply to any hospital post-mortem examination carried out following an epilepsy-related death.

Europe

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to promote the competition launched by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in conjunction with The Independent , to select three young people between the ages of 18 and 25 to take part in the European Youth Convention on the Future of Europe in Brussels from 9 to 14 July 2002.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has asked YouthLink to publicise this competition and they have already done so through an electronic mailshot to their members and the Community Education Managers of all local authorities.

  Details of the competition have been placed on the Youth Portal. The portal is Scotland’s first national interactive youth website designed by young people for young people, which was launched by the First Minister on 16 May 2002. It is supported by the Executive as part of the OpenScotland.gov initiative.

  We have also encouraged the Scottish Youth Parliament to promote the competition and they have done so through their website and an electronic mail shot to all their members.

  In addition, the competition has been publicised by a press release from the Scotland Office, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Website and the Independent newspaper and website.

Finance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24073 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 May 2002, whether it will estimate or give details of the underspend or end-year flexibility related to its 2001-02 budget.

Mr Andy Kerr: We are preparing the Executive’s draft accounts and will make an announcement on end-year flexibility before the summer recess.

Health

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with regard to delayed discharge.

Malcolm Chisholm: Reducing levels of delayed discharge is a key priority for the Executive, and for local authority and Health Partners. We have committed an extra £20 million this year to tackle the problem. This will secure care in more appropriate settings for another 1,000 people. Local Joint Action Plans show how partners will meet their targeted reductions and secure real improvements for those delayed in hospitals. We expect to see substantial reductions in delayed discharge as a result.

Health

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many claims there were against each NHS trust, broken down by NHS board area, for (a) clinical mishaps or accidents, (b) non-clinical mishaps or accidents in each year since 1999-2000 and what the total cost of these types of claims was in terms of (i) compensation paid out and (ii) investigating and defending claims.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is in the process of being collated and I will write to the member once it is available.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review its policy on hospital-acquired infection in the light of the outbreak of winter vomiting at Raigmore Hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: We have introduced a series of measures to help the NHS deal with hospital-acquired infection. An appropriate time to review these will be the hospital-acquired infection convention at end June.

Local Government

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of recent press articles, its position on not reviewing local authority boundaries in the foreseeable future has changed.

Peter Peacock: There are no plans for a review of local authority boundaries.

Ministerial Correspondence

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why staff from its Environment and Rural Affairs Department in Inverurie have not yet met my constituent Mr J Hardie as advised in the letter of 27 February 2002 to me from the Minister for Environment and Rural Development and what actions it will take to address my constituent’s concerns without any further delay.

Ross Finnie: The issues raised concern the deterioration in vegetation cover on environmentally sensitive land but the cause was not immediately obvious. Detailed investigations were, therefore, required. Officials undertook a site visit on 5-6 February and have made other inquiries since then. Their investigations have been completed only recently and a report is being prepared for the responsible Assistant Chief Agricultural Officer. That outcome, and any ensuing action, is a matter between the department and the managers of the land in question. There are issues of confidentiality to consider. Nevertheless, I have asked officials to acknowledge Mr Hardie’s contribution to this matter and to let him know as much of the outcome as the limits of confidentiality will allow.

Planning

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will call in the planning application for a crematorium to be developed at Greenhall Park, High Blantyre, South Lanarkshire.

Hugh Henry: The planning application for this proposed development has been notified to the Executive and is currently being considered. It would be inappropriate, at this stage, to comment on whether it will be called in for the Scottish ministers’ determination.

Police

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any responsibilities in respect of the location of police force headquarters.

Mr Jim Wallace: Section 2(4) of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967 stipulates that a police authority may, subject to the consent of the Scottish ministers, provide and maintain such land and buildings and other structures as may be required for the purposes of a police force.

Police

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the review of the method by which funds are distributed between police forces will conclude.

Mr Jim Wallace: The draft report of an independent study of the method of allocating funds to police forces was submitted late last year to a working group, involving the Executive, COSLA and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland. The group considered that, while this gave several useful pointers, additional analysis was needed before a new methodology could be proposed. This further work is now nearing completion.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research the operators of HM Prison Kilmarnock have carried out so far, as referred to in Schedule D sections 12.4.1 and 12.4.2 of their contract with the Scottish Prison Service.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Sections 12.4.1 and 12.4.2 of Schedule D requires the operators of HM Prison Kilmarnock to provide offending behaviour programmes based on induction and assessment processes aligned to those employed by SPS. That is being done.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25569 by Mr Jim Wallace on 16 May 2002, whether it will provide a breakdown of the performance points accrued by the operating company of HM Prison Kilmarnock under section 2.1(i) for each security category of prisoner for each year of operation.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  All of the performance points identified in the answer to question S1W-25569 as having related to measure 2.1 (i) were applied on the basis that the breaches occurred in areas to which Category B prisoners had access.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25569 by Mr Jim Wallace on 16 May 2002, whether it will provide a breakdown of the performance points accrued by the operating company of HM Prison Kilmarnock under section 2.2(a) for each category of assault for each year of operation.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The answer to question S1W-25569 was based on performance measure points having been applied on the following "level of injury sustained" incidents:

  Year 1: one serious, four minor, 32 no injury.

  Year 2: none serious, five minor, 26 no injury.

  Year 3: one serious, four minor, 30 no injury.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25569 by Mr Jim Wallace on 16 May 2002, whether it will provide a breakdown of the performance points accrued by the operating company of HM Prison Kilmarnock under section 2.2(b) for each category of assault for each year of operation.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The answer to question S1W-25569 was based on performance measure points having been applied on the following "level of injury sustained" incidents*:

  Year 1: none serious, six minor, 21 no injury.

  Year 2: none serious, five minor, 39 no injury.

  Year 3: two serious, eleven minor, 65 no injury.

  Note:

  *Points were awarded on the number of assailants and/or prisoners injured in a proven assault.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25569 by Mr Jim Wallace on 16 May 2002, whether it will provide a breakdown of the performance points accrued by the operating company of HM Prison Kilmarnock under section 2.4(a) showing the number and degree of instances of failure to deliver the required regime activity hours for sentenced prisoners for each year of operation.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The answer to question S1W-25569 was based on the requirements of performance measure 2.4 (a), as defined in the contract, not having been met on five occasions in the first year of operation but having been met since.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25569 by Mr Jim Wallace on 16 May 2002, whether it will provide a breakdown of the performance points accrued by the operating company of HM Prison Kilmarnock under section 2.4(b) showing the number and degree of instances of failure to deliver the required sentenced prisoner work hours for each year of operation.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The answer to question S1W-25569 was based on the requirements of measure 2.4 (b) not having been met on 13 occasions in Year 1; 73 occasions in Year 2, and 35 occasions in Year 3.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25569 by Mr Jim Wallace on 16 May 2002, whether it will provide a breakdown of the performance points accrued by the operating company of HM Prison Kilmarnock under section 2.4(c) showing the number and degree of instances of failure to deliver the required education hours for each year of operation.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The answer to question S1W-25569 was based on the requirements of measure 2.4 (c) not having been met on four occasions in Year 1 but having been met since then.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25569 by Mr Jim Wallace on 16 May 2002, whether it will provide a breakdown of the performance points accrued by the operating company of HM Prison Kilmarnock under section 2.4(e) showing the number and degree of instances of failure to deliver the required regime activity hours for remand prisoners for each year of operation.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The answer to question S1W-25569 was based on the requirements of measure 2.4(e) not having been met on 14 occasions in Year 1 but having been met since then.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25569 by Mr Jim Wallace on 16 May 2002, what the nature was of the incident of failure to comply with agreed reporting procedures in year three of the operation of HM Prison Kilmarnock which resulted in the accrual of performance points to the operator of the prison.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The answer to question S1W-25569 was based on the requirements of measure 2.2(k) and were applied on the basis that the SPS Controller at HM Prison Kilmarnock was not informed, within the prescribed timescale, about the mislocation of a prisoner within the prison.

Procurator Fiscal Service

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether instructions issued to procurators fiscal from the Lord Advocate are binding and whether procurators fiscal can exercise any form of discretion in regard to such instructions.

Colin Boyd QC: Instructions issued to procurators fiscal by the Lord Advocate are binding, but may allow for the exercise of discretion.

Road Accidents

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of causing death by dangerous driving under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 were prosecuted in each of the last 12 months, broken down by cases heard in the (a) sheriff court and (b) high court.

Colin Boyd QC: Figures for prosecutions for causing death by dangerous driving under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 in 2001 are not yet available. I will write with details once the figures have been collated.

Saltire

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that the Saltire is always flown from buildings in the care of Historic Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have already indicated how the guidelines for flag flying on special days will be adjusted so as to ensure that, on St Andrew’s Day, Historic Scotland sites with single poles will fly the Saltire. I believe that is the correct decision. We have no plans to issue guidance applying to every day of the year.

Schools

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what decision it has reached on which first-round funding bids to improve school buildings have been successful.

Nicol Stephen: These bids are under consideration and we shall announce our decisions shortly.

Smoking

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce smoking amongst students.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Executive regards action to tackle smoking among young people, including students, as a key priority. A range of smoking prevention and cessation measures targeted at young people is being pursued by NHS boards and the Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS). HEBS has also been specifically provided with £3.4 million over four years from the Health Improvement Fund to target young people. Activity includes setting up, in association with ASH Scotland, eight pilot smoking cessation schemes for young people. One of the pilots is based in a further education setting.

  To further improve our knowledge of what works in relation to young people, the Scottish Executive's Chief Scientist Office is funding an 18-month research project entitled An Exploration of Smoking Behaviour, Dependence and Attitudes Towards Cessation in the Mid to Late Teens. The study is based at the University of Edinburgh and will begin reporting towards the end of 2002.

Smoking

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent combating tobacco addiction by each NHS board in each of the last three years.

Malcolm Chisholm: Comprehensive information for each NHS board is not held centrally. Following the launch of Smoking Kills in December 1998, £1 million a year for three years (1999-2000 to 2001-02) was allocated to NHS boards for smoking cessation services and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). This was in addition to the estimated £1 million a year already being spent by boards.

  Smoking cessation has also been identified as a priority for investment from the £26 million Health Improvement Fund (HIF). Information supplied by NHS boards about HIF expenditure indicates that over £750,000 was allocated in 2000-01 to smoking cessation initiatives.

  Figures are not available centrally for the work by NHS Board Health Promotion Departments to reduce the incidence of smoking through the promotion of healthier lifestyles. Initiatives include: taking part in national and local awareness campaigns; smoking cessation support groups, and mobile units which take the message about healthy lifestyles to the communities that will benefit most.

Social Inclusion

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has undertaken with women about equality issues.

Ms Margaret Curran: We are committed to equality for women. The Scottish Executive’s Equality Strategy sets out how we are delivering on that commitment and improving consultation is fundamental to that strategy. Equality for women is at the heart of the Executive’s priorities on health, education, transport, crime and jobs. Our consultation exercises play a key role in identifying equality issues and making sure that the voices of women are heard in the policy-making process.

Tourism

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Dumfries and Galloway Tourist Board.

Mike Watson: I met with Dumfries and Galloway Tourist Board on 20 May and had a productive discussion on tourism issues.

Tourism

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives have been developed within current tourism training strategies to service the genealogy tourism market.

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategies are in place to provide the training requirements to service the genealogy tourism market in the long-term.

Mike Watson: Tourism People is the lead organisation for developing tourism skills. Its national strategy will shortly be circulated to MSPs.

Tourism

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the Natural Cooking of Scotland initiative is as referred to in objective 3.1 of its Tourism Framework for Action 2002-05 .

Mike Watson: Natural Cooking of Scotland is an initiative that has been developed in conjunction with food and tourism leaders to raise awareness of the quality and range of Scotland's natural food products and cooking skills. Co-ordinated by Taste of Scotland, Natural Cooking aims to get across to businesses through training and information the important role that fresh local produce and straightforward quality cooking play in developing business and increasing income.

Tourism

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the private business/public agency group as referred to in objective 1.1 of its Tourism Framework for Action 2002-05 will be established and start meeting.

Mike Watson: The group will meet for the first time in the autumn.

Tourism

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition is of "tourism-related sectors" as referred to in objective 1.3 of its Tourism Framework for Action 2002-05 .

Mike Watson: By working together with "tourism-related sectors", such as retail, food and drink, and transport, the Scottish Executive aims to develop a closer relationship between related sectors of the economy to benefit the tourism industry as a whole.

Tourism

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition is of "sustainable development strategy for Scotland’s product portfolio", as referred to in objective 2.5 of its Tourism Framework for Action 2002-05 , with specific reference to the business conference centre.

Mike Watson: Scotland’s "products portfolio" refers to the products which are key to the overall tourism marketing strategy – including golf, culture, and genealogy. The business conference sector is also one of these priority areas. By anticipating consumer needs and trends, "Sustainable development strategies" enhance these products, ensuring they not only reach the marketplace, but also sustain their presence there in the long term.

Tourism

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when tourists and visitors to Scotland will be able to access the national transport timetable through VisitScotland’s website as referred to in action point 14 of its Tourism Framework for Action 2002-05 .

Mike Watson: The Traveline (National Transport Timetable) website is due to be launched in summer 2002. After the launch, eTourism will look at how best to integrate it into the VisitScotland.com website.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-18865 on 12 October 2001, which companies on the short leet (a) did not submit a tender bid and (b) submitted a bid that did not comply with the tender documentation and why each such bid was not compliant.

Sir David Steel: Three contractors from the short list of five invited to tender for the MSP block cladding package did not submit bids. Details of non-compliant bids are considered commercially confidential.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether there was an analysis of and report on the tender submitted by Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd for work on the MSPs' block by architects and quantity surveyors on the Holyrood Project Team and whether a copy of any such analysis and/or report will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sir David Steel: All tender bids received for Trade Packages are analysed by the Construction Managers, Design Team and Quantity Surveyors. The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that following recommendation by the Construction Manager, the tender bid from Flour City was endorsed by the Design Team and approved by the Holyrood Project Team. The Parliament has received legal advice that documents should not be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre while the SPCB’s rights and entitlements are still being evaluated, as they may form part of the productions in any litigation which may follow.